Illinois Tool Works Inc.

Daniele Chirico

Michele Sclocchi

Marco Carcano

Power amplifier electronics for controlling application of radio frequency (RF) energy generated using solid state electronic components may further be configured to control application of RF energy in cycles between high and low powers. The power amplifier electronics may include a semiconductor die on which one or more RF power transistors are fabricated, an output matching network configured to provide impedance matching between the semiconductor die and external components operably coupled to an output tab, and bonding ribbon bonded at terminal ends thereof to operably couple the one or more RF power transistors of the semiconductor die to the output matching network. The bonding ribbon may have a width of greater than about five times a thickness of the bonding ribbon.

Ribbon bond solution for reducing thermal stress on an intermittently operable chipset controlling RF application for cooking

Control electronics may control power amplifier electronics associated with application of RF energy generated using solid state electronic components. The power amplifier electronics may be configured to control application of RF energy in an oven according to a cooking recipe at least in part based on a learning procedure that generates a power cycling between high and low powers when the learning procedure is executed. The control electronics may include processing circuitry configured to employ a thermal stress mitigation technique to control thermal stresses on the power amplifier electronics associated with the power cycling.

Power control solution for reducing thermal stress on an intermittently operable chipset controlling RF application for cooking

Power amplifier electronics for controlling application of radio frequency (RF) energy generated using solid state electronic components may further be configured to control application of RF energy in cycles between high and low powers. The power amplifier electronics may include a semiconductor die on which one or more RF power transistors are fabricated, an output matching network configured to provide impedance matching between the semiconductor die and external components operably coupled to an output tab, and bonding wires bonded at terminal ends thereof to operably couple the one or more RF power transistors of the semiconductor die to the output matching network. The bonding wires may be copper bonding wires having a diameter of between about 10 microns and about 100 microns.

Copper wire bond solution for reducing thermal stress on an intermittently operable chipset controlling RF application for cooking

An oven includes a cooking chamber configured to receive a load and an RF heating system configured to provide RF energy into the cooking chamber using solid state electronic components. The solid state electronic components include power amplifier electronics configured to provide a signal into the cooking chamber via an antenna assembly. The power amplifier electronics include at least a first power amplifier and a second power amplifier operably coupled to the cooking chamber by respective ones of a first antenna and second antenna of the antenna assembly. The first and second antennas are operably coupled to respective ones of the first and second power amplifiers via a first coupling structure and a second coupling structure, respectively. A directional coupler provided at a port section defined for at least one of the first and second coupling structures. The directional coupler is configured to provide a forward wave parameter and a reflected wave parameter to a measurement assembly configured to calculate modified S parameters at the port section.

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Brugherio, Italy

Daniele Chirico